Self-Concept

Dr. Aubrey H. Fine

Starlight Express

...Only you have the power within you.– Just believe in yourself, the sea will

part before you.

– Stop the rain, turn the tide.

– If only you use the power within you,

– You needn’t beg the world to turn around and help you.

– If you draw on what you have within you

– Somewhere deep inside…• I AM THE STARLIGHT

– Starlight Express

I CAN

I can handle it

I can handle it

I can handle it

I can handle it

I can handle it

I can handle it

I CAN

I can’t handle it

I can’t handle it

I can’t handle it

I can’t handle it

I can’t handle it

I can’t handle it

“The greatest evil that can befall man is that he

should come to think evil of himself.”

– Goethe

The Suitcase of Doom

“How to survive and not be a victim of

failure.”

The Builder

I saw them tearing a building downA team of men in my hometown.

With a heave and a ho and a yes yes yell,They swung a beam and a sidewall fell.

And I said to the foreman, “Are these men skilled?”“Like the ones you’d use if you had to build?”And he laughed and said, “Oh no, indeed…

The most common labor is all I need…For I can destroy in a day or two

What takes a builder then years to do.”So I thought to myself as I went on my way…

Am I one who is tearing down as I carelessly make my way around?

Or am I one who builds with care, in order to make the world a

Little better…because I was there?

Characteristics of Risk Individuals

• Weak perception of personal capabilities

• Weak perception of personal significance

• Weak perception of personal influence

Inadequate Intra-Personal Skills (Self-Assessment)

• Inadequate inter-personal skills (dialogue, communication)

• Inadequate systemic skills (responsibility, adaptability, etc.)

• Inadequate judgmental skills (applying learned knowledge, wisdom)

Learned Helplessness Defined

• Learned helplessness results when a person expects that important events or outcomes in his/her life are independent of his or her own responding. [In other words, when the things that matter to a person are felt to be beyond that person’s control, then she/he becomes a victim of learned helplessness.]

Three Broad Effects of Helplessness

1. Reduces people’s motivation to control outcomes – becoming passive recipients.

2. Interferes with a person’s ability to learn that he/she can control outcomes.

3. May produce levels of depression.

Locus of Control

• A child’s perception of who is responsible for one’s success of failure in a particular achievement area.

Internal vs. External

• Internal – those who feel they control their reinforcements.

• External – those who perceive their outcomes to be independent of their responses.

Cognitive Attribution Theories

• Assumes that people’s perceptions of the causes of their success and failures influence the quality of their future achievement.

Failure Avoiding

• Ascribe successful to external factors (e.g. luck)

• Ascribe failure to inability

Motivated to Approach Success

• Attribute success to ability

• Attribute failure to lack of effort

Attribution Theory

– Investigate person’s perceptions of causes• Factors

– Informational causes– History of successes or failures– Reinforcement history– Feedback

– The allocation of responsibility influences subsequent behaviors

Factors Contributing to Negative Motivation

• School / Home environment• The Parent Teacher• The child• The classroom environment• Evaluation system

Major Perceived Causes for Achievement

Performance•Ability•Effort•Luck•Task Ease / Difficulty

Understanding Your Explanatory Style to Your Behavior

Three dimensions to investigate• Permanence • Pervasiveness• Personalization

OPTISISM VS.

PESSIMISM

OPTMISISM

People who are optimistic explain

good events in terms of permanent causes.

How you think about your concerns will

either relieve or aggravate it.

Pessimism produces a level of inertia rather than activity

in the face of setbacks. Pessimism just like

optimism is self-fulfilling. Pessimists don’t persist in the face of challenges, and

therefore fail more frequently.

RUMINATION

Depression and a sense of helplessness occurs as a result of a

lifelong series of habits and conscious

thought.

Ramifications of Success and Failure

Failure Success

-Frustration - Perceived Incompetence

- Avoidance - Negative Responses from Others

- Aggression

“Demoralization Syndrome”

Success Failure

- Positive External Response

- Increased Internal Motivation

- Enhanced Perceived Competence

- Risk Taking

ABILITY

EFFORT

PERFORMANCE

SELF-ESTEEM (PERSON)

The Three Magic Ingredients of Self-

Esteem

• Belonging • Feeling competent• Feeling worthwhile

The Three Major Ingredients to Successful

Relationships

Dignity, Respect, Communication - Democratic living is based on mutual

respect.

The Difficulty of Being A Risk Taker

The Empty Glass vs. the Full Glass

The only way to grow is to take risks and get

involved.

Three Critical Beliefs

A. I am a capable person who can change if I choose.

B. My life is significant. (I must realize I’m important).

C. I must discover that I have the power within.

HELPFUL BELIEFS

• Beliefs That Help Children Lead More Effective and Healthy Lives

Belief 1: It is Important to Try

Belief 2: Failure is an event, not a person.

Mistakes are O.K., one can turn them into lessons

“Nobody can make you feel inferior without

your consent”.

– E. Roosevelt

Only when the mind is ready, the teacher

appears.– Zen Expression

Belief 3: It is O.K. to Make Mistakes

Belief 4: I am responsible for my

day.

Belief 5: I can handle it when

things go wrong.

Success is a journey…not a

destination.

Belief 6: Other people are O.K. and I am O.K.

Belief 7: I am capable.

“Where a person’s treasure lies, the heart

will be.”

A person’s uniqueness is his/her treasure

Empowerment

What Children Need for Empowerment

• Dignity…Respect• Self-affirmation of dreams

• Dreams and a commitment can change the world

Guidelines in Enhancing Motivation in Children

I.Reduce social comparison

II.Increase involvement in learning

III.Focus on effort

IV.Promote beliefs in competence

V.Increase chances for success

Principles for Enhancing Self Concept in Children

1. Listen to and acknowledge children’s thoughts and feelings

2. Help children experience success

3. Give children reasonable control over their lives

4. Demonstrate to children that they’re lovable and capable

5. “Model” a health and positive self concept

Increase Chances for Success

A. Provide skill trainingB. Use peer tutoringC. Use cooperative team learningD. Use individualized instructionE. Teach self controlF. Teach and promote positive self talk

The Man in the Glass When you get what you want in your struggle for selfAnd the world makes you king for a day,Just go to the mirror and look at yourselfAnd see what that man has to say

For it isn’t your father or mother or wifeWhose judgment upon you must passThe fellow whose verdict counts most in your lifeIs the one staring back from the glass

You may be like Jack Horner and chisel a plumAnd think you’re a wonderful guy.But the man in the glass says you’re only a bumIf you can’t look him straight in the eye.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of yearsAnd get pats on the back as you pass.But your final reward will be heartache and tearsIf you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

He’s the fellow to please – never mind all the rest,For he’s with you clear to the end.And you’ve passed your most dangerous, difficult testIf the man in the glass is your friend.

~ Author Unknown